Saying "I love you" to someone for the first time to someone who doesn't say it back could be one of the most painful and awkward things ever.

Most times it could just be that those words were said to the right person at the wrong time.

1. On a sticky note: You leave it on a sticky note with the sandwich you put on his desk. He can easily just pretend he was so hungry, he unwrapped the sandwich, threw away all the wrapping so quickly and didn’t see it. Now you’re making three sandwiches a day to try again.

2. At his/her parent's place: You feel so close to him, so accepted by his parents and so excited about potentially growing old together, just like they did, so you blurt it out while his parents are in another room. And he doesn’t say it back. And you have to try and not cry in front of his parents the next two hours.

3. After a funeral: Way to manipulate somebody’s emotions! Your guy will cling to anybody nearby after losing a loved one. If you get him to say, “I love you” after seeing his uncle in an open casket, he might feel a little duped the next day.

4. On April fool's day: This is a cop out move. You say it on April Fool’s so if he doesn’t say it back you can say, “April Fool’s!” But the poor guy doesn’t know in the first place if this is a joke. And p.s. now it’s on the table, joke or no joke, and it’s awkward.

5. On your birthday: Way to put pressure on a guy: telling him you love him on your birthday. Better yet, at your birthday party where all of your friends are there—friends who might murder your guy if he doesn’t say it back on your big day.

6. On a plane: Now you’re stuck together for who knows how many hours. And you are not allowed to walk around a plane, remember?

7. During a toast: Making a toast to him, all eyes are on him, and his face clearly goes into shock when you drop the L bomb. Anyways…drink up!

8. In a card...with a big gift: So you did get him a real gift this time. And it’s enormous. Like a new car. But it comes with an obligation: the words, “I love you” are in the card and if he doesn’t say it back, he’s afraid he’ll lose the gift.